Going Foreign Again
by EgixBacon
Summary: A previously unpublished story from 2012. Skarloey and Rheneas receive word from their friends in Wales - but it'll take a brave Engine to get them there.


_Going Foreign Again_  
 _\- FanFiction Edition -_

 _A fan fiction by EgixBacon_

 _ **Author's Note: Hello! To help tide you over until the release of my next story, I've decided to give my readers a look at one of my previously unpublished stories - Going Foreign Again. This story was originally written in July 2012, and is loosely based on the Railway Series story 'Gordon Goes Foreign', from the book**_ **The Eight Famous Engines** _ **. The story was once planned to feature as an episode in the TV series, but was cancelled due to a limited budget.**_

 _ **N.B.: Because this is one of my earlier fan works, it is not as well-written as my current line of stories. The prose itself has not been changed from the original text file, apart from various spelling and punctuation corrections. Also, the text has been annotated with author's notes, which are denoted by bold + italic text.**_

 _ **So, without further ado... On to the throwback!**_

One afternoon, Gordon was waiting for his next train at Knapford Station. Henry came up to talk to him.

"Isn't it James' turn to take the Express today?"

"He's still recovering from the allergy he had," replied Gordon. "The Fat Controller has told him that another day's rest will do him good."

 _ **This exchange refers to the events of a previous unpublished story of mine.**_

"But that was three days ago!" exclaimed Henry.

"Time is all it takes," mumbled Gordon, "but James needs a bit more time. You see, this isn't the Express I'm going to pull. It's a Special train. I have to carry this train to the mainland, and then the friendly chaps at Barrow can pull it the rest of the way to London."

"Would that be Paddington, or Euston?" Henry was mocking Gordon about the time he had had an argument with the other Engines about what the Station in London was called.

"What cheek! That's St Pancras to you. I said that London was all wrong, didn't I?"

Gordon puffed out of the station, and began his journey.

Henry had to wait half an hour for his goods train. His final destination was Ballahoo, but he also had to stop en route to deliver goods stock at several stations, including Crovan's Gate, where he would often meet the narrow gauge Engines.

When Henry arrived at Crovan's Gate, Skarloey was waiting for him.

"Good afternoon," smiled Skarloey.

"Have you any news for me?" asked Henry.

"Haven't you heard? The Fat Controller's received a letter from Wales."

Henry was confused. "But whales don't write letters - they live in the sea."

"Wales, not whales. The country!"

"Oh," Henry blushed, "silly me."

"The railway people in Wales have written to the Fat Controller to say that they would like Skarloey - that's me - and Rheneas to visit their railway."

"But what's stopping them visiting our island?" asked Henry.

"They don't have any 'standard-gaugers'. They can't travel the mainland's lines, so we need a standard gauge engine to carry us on flat-trucks. Then, when we reach the station, we can be lifted on to the narrow gauge rails, and we can make our own way from there."

Henry was now in a curious mood. "How many engines do they have there?"

"They have six engines in total, but we only know the names of two of them. The first engine's name is Talyllyn, and the second one is Dolgoch."

"So who's going to carry you there?"

"The Fat Controller hasn't decided yet... but it might be you!"

The guard blew his whistle and waved his flag, so Henry continued along the line to Ballahoo.

"I hope the Fat Controller chooses me..." he thought secretly.

However, there was something that Skarloey hadn't told him: Talyllyn actually happened to be Skarloey's twin brother, and Dolgoch was Rheneas's twin brother.

 _ **In the original text, I mistakenly referred to Talyllyn and Dolgoch as the cousins of Rheneas and Skarloey. Despite this being a change in the prose, the word 'cousin' has been replaced with 'brother' or 'twin brother' as appropriate, in favour of factual correctness.**_

The next morning, Henry was still asleep in the shed. Suddenly, he heard the Fat Controller speaking.

"Wake up, Henry. I have a special job for you."

Henry smiled with excitement. He knew what the Fat Controller was referring to.

Henry set off for Crovan's Gate as soon as he was ready. When he arrived, Skarloey and Rheneas were already loaded on to their flat-trucks. They were coupled to Henry in no time, and Henry was just about to leave, when the guard spoke to him and his driver.

"Be careful. There was some rainfall over the mainland last night. The rails may be a tad slippery, so drive with caution."

"I will," said the driver obediently.

"Oh, dear..." shivered Henry. "I hope I don't get rained on."

"Don't be silly," said his driver. "You once said you weren't afraid of getting wet any more."

"But then an elephant hooshed-"

"No buts. We must go now, or else everyone will be disappointed, and you won't be Really Useful any more."

So Henry reluctantly began the long journey to Wales.

As Henry rumbled over the bridge to Barrow, he plucked up his courage as he looked at the dark rain-clouds in the distance.

He ventured along the open line, cautiously staring at the unfamiliar rails in front of him, trying not to look at the ominous clouds above him.

Suddenly, he heard a rumble of thunder. There was a tunnel ahead.

"Hurry!" he cried. " We have to get into that tunnel, before the rain falls and spoils my nice green paint..."

Henry swiftly slipped into the tunnel, and pulled Skarloey and Rheneas in with him. They all entered the tunnel just in time. Rheneas could hear the sudden heavy downpour behind him.

"Phew! That was close," he thought.

"Oh no," sobbed Henry, "we can't get out now. It's raining at the other end as well."

"But we have to get out," said his driver. "Or else you'll be in disgrace."

"I'd rather be in disgrace than have my paint spoiled!"

"You selfish engine," said the fireman. "Don't you understand that you're going to leave everyone disappointed, just because you care about keeping yourself dry?"

Suddenly, the driver had an idea. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket.

"Henry," he said, "this handkerchief will protect you."

"But that won't cover my boiler."

"It's a magical handkerchief. If I use it to wipe your boiler, its power will make your paint waterproof. I'll use it on Skarloey and Rheneas as well."

 _ **Yes, I really did write this part. If you want to stop here, then that's perfectly fine by me.**_

So, Henry's driver used the handkerchief to wipe all three of the engines, and Henry rolled out of the tunnel to continue his journey.

At long last, he reached the station in Wales, where a crane was ready to lift the little engines down to the rails.

Once Henry had turned around at the turntable, he said goodbye to the little old engines, and journeyed home.

Skarloey and Rheneas left the station, and, travelling buffer-to-buffer, they rolled into Talyllyn's Railway yard.

"Hello, old fellows!" said Talyllyn. "Have I seen you two before?"

"Don't you recognise me? It's me, Skarloey!"

"Well well well! I haven't seen my old brother for years."

Skarloey ran to a siding, and Rheneas took his place.

"Ah, this must be Dolgoch's twin brother, Rheneas," continued Talyllyn.

"Is Dolgoch here?" asked Rheneas.

"Sorry, but he's busy right now. He's taking some passengers, he is. But don't worry, he'll come back to this yard when he's done his job."

Skarloey went to the shed to meet the other engines, while Rheneas waited for Dolgoch.

The little engines stayed for two whole days. During their visit, they told the Talyllyn engines all about their memories on the Island of Sodor.

When it was time for them to leave, they puffed back to the station to meet Henry again, and they were put back on to their flat-trucks for the journey home.

 _ **I really regret not having put more story in this section.**_

As Henry rumbled over the rails, Skarloey and Rheneas were looking forward to telling the other engines everything they had learned about the Talyllyn railway, its engines, and last but not least, their brothers.

 _THE END_

 **The Face of Evil** _ **\- the follow-up to**_ **Flight of Villainy.**  
 _ **Releasing Summer 2015.**_


End file.
